Mamadou Diarra, the 6-foot-8 power forward who has played the past two seasons at Putnam Science Academy, will announce his college choice on Friday at 11:30 a.m.

With Putnam Science closing, Diarra will play as a post-grad student at Woodstock Academy, which will be the setting for his decision. Diarra narrowed his choices to UConn and Virginia Commonwealth, but it appears the Huskies are in the lead.

"I've got to decide whether I want to stay close to home or go down to Virginia," Diarra told The Courant last week. "My family is in New York, and since I got [to Northeast Connecticut], I have family here as well."

Diarra, who grew up in the Elmhurst section of Queens, is planning to sit down with his family and make the decision at the time of graduation ceremonies at Putnam Science, where he averaged 9.9 points and 7.5 rebounds last year, helping his team to a 27-8 record against top prep school competition.

UConn is also recruiting Diarra's teammate, guard Hamidou Diallo, who will also be moving to Woodstock next season.